1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a seat assembly, and more particularly, to a marine seat assembly having a frame and a cushion attached to the frame to provide a soft support, resiliency, and cushioning to a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous seat assemblies with means for providing resiliency and cushioning to a user and to preclude excessive sagging under the weight of the user are known in the prior art. Generally, when traveling at a high speed, a boat can be subject to heavy and violent blows and shocks as a result of the boat traversing the waves. Such blows cause discomfort and may make a marine voyage or fishing trip very unpleasant.
One conventional system for providing resiliency and cushioning to the user and to preclude excessive sagging under the weight of the user is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,952 to Rosenberg (the Rosenberg patent). The Rosenberg patent discloses an energy absorption system for a seat assembly having a plurality of nonlinear support elements between a metal seat pan and the buttocks of a user. Each of these support elements is equipped with a helical spring that cushions the user. As appreciated by those skilled in the art of marine vehicles, the use of springs of any kind to provide resiliency to the seat in the marine industry is not recommended due to the corrosive elements, water, salt, etc. encountered in typical marine applications. Several prior art patents, more particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,331 to Vento (the Vento patent), U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,195 to Masters et al. (the Masters patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,578 to Barton et al. (the Barton patent) tried to substitute the use of the springs by new inventive approaches discussed below.
The Vento patent shows a suspension system installed in a seat assembly used in a motor vehicle. The suspension system comprises an elastomeric fabric capable of providing sufficient strength to support the user. The elastomeric fabric forming suspension system is affixed to front and rear rods by any conventional means. The front and rear rods are attached to a seat assembly frame by attachments, wherein the attachments are installed within the seat frame first to secure the suspension system therewithin.
The Masters patent shows a seat assembly that includes a seat bottom trim supported on a pan defining an aperture portion. The seat frame assembly includes a mat disposed in the aperture of the pan for cushioning support of an occupant. The mat comprises a flexible woven material suspended across the aperture portion by rings and provides a soft support for the occupant.
The Barton patent shows a seat assembly including a seat bottom comprising a frame with side walls. The frame includes a central cutout region surrounded by a peripheral edge and a support mat that extends across the central cutout region. The mat is formed of a rubber suspension material or webbing to provide a balance between support and resiliency. The seating assembly includes a plurality of tabs to provide adjacent a peripheral edge of the central cutout to provide attachment locations for the mat that further includes a plurality of openings adapted to receive the tabs.
One of the areas of continuous development and research is the area of a more advanced design of a seat assembly for a boat. The opportunity remains for a new design of the seat assembly, where, unlike typical seats, a new seat assembly is easy to fabricate, simple to assemble, cost effective and does not employ the use of springs to provide resiliency to a seat portion of the seat assembly, specially when used in the marine industry, due to the corrosive elements, water, salt, etc. found in typical marine applications.